Introduction:
Six years ago, almost to the day, came out in North America World of Warcraft , an online role-playing game full of ambition but unpretentious who just wanted to democratize a genre then reserved a few extra-terrestrials, the MMORPG (pronounced MEUPORG ). Six years later, the masterpiece of Blizzard is one of the biggest commercial successes in the history of gaming. For years, players have been many who have fallen under its claws. Numerous expansions, dozens of upgrades and always in a maelstrom of controversy with every change set, World of Warcraft has always been the focus of the press and critics. It is the most played game worldwide, and generates the most revenue and invoice. For many users, is a little more than a game, is a way of life. Twelve million players, perhaps?
Unlike the two previous versions, this update will not introduce a major new world or a new continent, but will seek to fundamentally review the ancient continents of Azeroth. The former areas of World of Warcraft began to accuse the coup, declassified by the latest graphical techniques. It was time to dust off, both visually, by redrawing, and geographically, and modified in depth. This extension looks like a major upheaval in the universe of players. What is beautiful in the history of Cataclysm is the fact that Blizzard has kept intact its ability to surprise us.
About the game:
Hidden away in a secluded sanctuary, the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing has waited, recovering from the wounds of his last battle against Azeroth and biding his time until he can refroze the world in molten fire. Soon, Deathwing the Destroyer will return to Azeroth, and his eruption from Deepholm will sunder the world, leaving a festering wound across the continents. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is set in a troubled world. Azeroth is suffering a devastating continental limits because of an ancient dragon, Deathwing. This dangerous and corrupt creature, chosen by the Titans as a protector of the world and the underworld, cries out for vengeance after being beaten in the past, and crossed with a mortally wounded most of the territory. Thus, to avoid a greater evil, dozens of warriors, known and new, both Horde and Alliance join forces to combat the impending cataclysm that threatens the kingdom of Azeroth.
Cataclysm brings a new perspective on design. Most maps or areas that we know of Azeroth have undergone significant changes because of the upheaval caused by the dangerous dragon. The vast majority of territories and maps have varied. We will have more submerged by water, and virtually demolished and remodeled capital (like Orgrimmar and Stormwind). The aspect of the game is darker and twisted. As stated previously, Azeroth has undergone a metamorphosis whole enormous. Now, for example, we can access areas that previously could not, thanks to new flight ability of some frames.
What previously had been prohibited by a design limitation now has been the perfect excuse for a global change in the planning of World of Warcraft. If you could not get before, now. Not only that, but also find new venues to explore, such as Lost Island (off the coast of Kalimdor), an idyllic group of islands and islets globlins populated by survivors of an ancient shipwreck, or the ancient nation of Gilneas, whose city (which helped the Alliance in the past, but decided to withdraw from the world) has been a strange curse for all these years.
If Cataclysm provides remodeling in the game world, and new areas to explore … Why not include new races? In this expansion, two new breeds of creatures make an appearance. On the one hand, we have the Goblins. The Goblins are creatures that once served as slaves of the Trolls in dangerous mines under a mysterious volcano. After years of servitude, the magical properties of the minerals extracted, they became strange effects on their bodies and minds, making them smarter, faster and stronger.
Gameplay:
In the old extension, everyone ended up in the same places, the same enemy, rather feeble. I think Blizzard has realized the problem and offered us more points of entry. It is actually possible to attack the game by the pool area, Vaz’Shir. The interest is twofold for Blizzard, the opportunity for former players to create new characters without falling into monotony and attract new players by betting on quests worked more and more in line with the expectations of new generations of players. Even if ultimately high level, everyone always ended up having more or less the same specialization, we still had a little sense of choice, there is no longer the case, since ‘ we cannot allocate points as before in several trees from the start (must choose one and stick to a minimum).
Broadly, Cataclysm provides an overwhelming amount of news and changes. The maximum level of play has risen to 85, including a heroic mode for those experienced players. The interface of professions and skills has been simplified (but shall not be a bad thing) to make it accessible at any time. We have included more than 3000 quests designed from scratch and developed six new dungeons and raids completely new. We have over a dozen new places to visit, and two completely new territories. A second class makes an appearance (Archaeologist), the two races named above (Goblins and Wargs) and score systems have undergone a merger, and now we have conquest points. And we have told the return of the great lords of the world of Warcraft, Ragnaros and Nefarian or Overwhelming.
But the goblins are my favorite. Developers have never put so much humor on the same character. Personally, I do very little to smile WOW. In the end, it is a game very academic who takes seriously. It is no longer the case. I really feel that Blizzard has turned a corner. They realized they could afford to laugh at anything but a level on cows or a sledgehammer on the corner of the mouth of an orca.
The most controversial change in this add-on is that the game will be advising us on what kind of skills we can use or make available for training. Also moved the management ranks. For example, we can now refer to them, thus avoiding unnecessary trips to casino capitals, and encouraging, therefore, a more flexible and fun to play. The change of design talent panel is now easier, allowing us to observe at one stroke, without having to be alert to more windows, the three branches to work. And not only that we can access at any time trends and statistics of the professions of our peer group or brotherhood (as well as ours) to be aware of them at all times.
One last important point, the players against players (PvP). Blizzard is clearly willing to develop still further and PvP even if it does not fundamentally change with Cataclysm. For starters, you have eliminated the ancient arena points, and replaced by a score of conquest. These points of conquest (which is divided into the sand and the “battlegrounds” or battlefields), will help the player to get special equipment for combat, and have limited use. That is, there will be a top scoring and rewards in conquest points to avoid overcrowding and routine in these battles to get the best equipment. Of course, if you lose or do not get the goals … There will be no compensation. The two new battlefields are designed for fighting from 10 to 25 players per side. One will be set in the streets of the capital of Gilneas, and the other twin summits, will develop into a dangerous cliff at the top of the skies of Azeroth, Twilight in the Highlands.
With regard to the raids and PVE, Cataclysm also addresses new changes and air to make them more accessible. The raid system is better balanced. If we choose to unwise one raid, and we get stuck in a boss class (our group is dissolved or not enough players there) before we could not change until the raid. With the new system implemented in Cataclysm, we can access another raid set on the same level as us or better. It is an example of the change of vision to attract new players. And there’s more. For example, we jump from groups of 25 groups of 10 players without fearing for our save point (although we cannot return from a group of 10 to a larger one.) Both systems group raids (25 players and 10 players) have converged, although the scores are identical, and both ratings and share save schemes. Blizzard is clearly willing to develop still further and PvP even if it does not fundamentally change with Cataclysm. As we already mentioned, Cataclysm is aptly named. We all remember the upheaval of the first two geographical continents. But ultimately, this is not much compared to the contributions on the playing field: the new talent trees, management of guilds, the ability to fly, and much more.
Conclusion:
For those who have never tried WoW for some reason, it is tempted to say “go for goodness sake! The redesign of regions, quests rebates up to date and the system of phasing hand colored with valuable experience that is worth trying at least once. Changes made by Cataclysm impacting things at such a depth that subscribers will not play probably quite the same way. And finally, this is what Blizzard could do better, stop taking us for Sisyphus and change our habits. And thus ensure a renewed interest in the license. A little dust of Northrend, a touch of madness Outland and a large pinch of nostalgia Vanilla, Cataclysm is probably the best of three add-ons to date. It’s time we go again for a few years!
